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16 outfits Taylor Swift has worn this year, ranked from worst to best

21 October 2026 at 15:37
Taylor Swift at the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on October 17.
Taylor Swift at the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on October 17.

Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images

  • Taylor Swift has been busy attending awards shows, sporting events, and more this year.
  • Her signature style has been on display at every occasion.
  • Swift's best looks have been simple and elegant. Her worst was too corporate.

Taylor Swift is back.

No, she hasn't announced her 13th studio album or another massive world tour. She's simply stepped back into the spotlight after a few quiet months away.

Since March, the music icon has been photographed at awards shows, walking around New York City, and sitting in suites at Arrowhead Stadium — in support of her husband, Travis Kelce, of course.

Naturally, she's worn statement outfits for each occasion. Designer jackets, expensive jewelry, and luxury handbags remain her signatures.

Some of her recent looks are the epitome of her effortless street style, while others haven't made much sense. Here's how we'd rank what she's worn this year, from worst to best.

Taylor Swift brought back peplum tops in May, but she probably shouldn't have.
Taylor Swift in New York City on May 14.
Taylor Swift in New York City on May 14.

Aeon/Getty Images

She was photographed in New York City wearing a $1,190 white button-up blouse from Stella McCartney, $1,350 The Row trousers, sandals from the same brand, and a black leather belt.

The bottom half of the outfit was chic, but her top looked too formal, making the outfit feel corporate.

It couldn't be saved by Swift's $4,500 Fendi bag or her Cartier Santos Demoiselle watch.

The outfit she wore to a Chiefs game in September wasn't memorable.
Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 20.
Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 20.

David Eulitt/Getty Images

Swift was spotted on September 20 standing in a suite at Arrowhead Stadium with her mom and mother-in-law.

She kept her outfit simple that day: denim bottoms, a black leather belt, and a $40 Chiefs tank top from Wear by Erin Andrews.

There was nothing really wrong with the outfit; the musician looked cute and comfortable. Still, it was so simple that most fans probably won't remember it next season.

The same could be said for the checkered dress she wore a few days earlier.
Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 14.
Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 14.

David Eulitt/Getty Images

At another Chiefs game, Swift wore a $295 checkered dress from Guest in Residence.

It was a sweet, festive choice for the occasion, especially when paired with her signature red lipstick.

At the same time, though, the pattern made the dress resemble a picnic tablecloth, which wasn't ideal.

One tweak could have saved Swift's 2026 MTV Video Music Awards look.
Taylor Swift poses at the MTV Video Music Awards beside a rear view of her black-and-silver dress.
Taylor Swift attends the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2026.

John Shearer/WireImage/Rich Polk/Billboard via Getty Images

She arrived on the blue carpet wearing a couture gown from Tamara Ralph. It had a halter neckline, a black velvet bodice with a mesh back, and a sparkling silver skirt that wrapped around her hips and reached the floor.

From the front, Swift looked powerful and stylish.

Unfortunately, the thick, lace-up feature on the back of the dress made it look less elegant.

She chose elevated basics for an NBA playoff game, though they weren't super memorable.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at a 2026 Knicks and Cavaliers game.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at a 2026 Knicks and Cavaliers game.

Tim Phillis/AP

Swift and Kelce were sitting courtside when the Knicks played the Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

Both wore denim outfits for the game, though Swift's look was undoubtedly flashier. She paired $790 Stella McCartney jeans with a black denim jacket and a chain-embellished tank top from the designer.

Swift also sported a Dior purse, Stella McCartney sandals, and an assortment of gold jewelry — including her massive engagement ring.

The outfit was fun, but also simple and a little forgettable.

Swift was ready for fall when she made a surprise appearance on "Saturday Night Live" in October.
Dakota Johnson and Taylor Swift at "Saturday Night Live" on October 3.
Dakota Johnson and Taylor Swift at "Saturday Night Live" on October 3.

NBC/Will Heath/Getty Images

She took the stage alongside her friend, Dakota Johnson, wearing a $595 Simkhai brown plaid minidress. Swift also wore a $1,500 Yves Saint Laurent chain belt, a gold Cartier bracelet, Burberry boots, and hoop earrings.

The outfit didn't make for her flashiest fashion moment, but it was cute and understated.

She embraced her girl-next-door vibe for a New York City outing in June.
Taylor Swift in New York City on June 15.
Taylor Swift in New York City on June 15.

Aeon/Getty Images

Photographers captured Swift wearing a $295 Guest in Residence polo top, light-wash denim jeans, Gucci sandals, a matching leather belt, and an assortment of gold jewelry.

She also carried the large Chloé Penelope bag.

It was one of Swift's most cohesive looks so far this year.

The musician accepted 7 iHeartRadio awards in a green corseted minidress.
Taylor Swift at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Taylor Swift at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

Phillip Faraone/Getty Images

Wiederhoeft designed the ensemble, which was sleeveless and decorated with silver sparkles.

Swift wore it with $36,000 Dena Kemp earrings and Jimmy Choo sandals. The assortment of rings and bracelets she wore also retailed for $36,000.

Swift looked pretty, and her outfit was solid. It wasn't her best look of the year, but it was far from her worst.

Swift's street style reemerged in April, and it was strong from the start.
Taylor Swift in New York City on April 27.
Taylor Swift in New York City on April 27.

Aeon/Getty Images

On one New York City outing, Swift paired a blue-and-white striped Staud dress with $1,195 Christian Louboutin sandals and a yellow mini Lady Dior bag.

The outfit was fun and perfect for summer. The mix of diamond and opal jewelry she wore with it only added to the look.

Her date-night style this year has been feminine and flowing.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in New York City on May 15.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in New York City on May 15.

DAMEBK/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

Just look at the floral Doen dress she wore for a night out with Kelce in May. The off-the-shoulder design had puffed sleeves, a semi-sheer skirt, and a ruffled neckline.

The dress was cute on its own, but it looked even better with Swift's choice of accessories: $920 Aquazzura sandals, gold jewelry, and a small raffia bag.

Swift proved that you can't go wrong with a classic black-and-white outfit.
Taylor Swift in New York City on May 12.
Taylor Swift in New York City on May 12.

DAMEBK/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

On a different night in New York City, Swift was photographed wearing a white Retrofête minidress. The simple garment had a high neckline, long sleeves, and a short pleated skirt.

On its own, the dress might not have stood out on Swift. However, she accessorized to perfection.

She contrasted the garment with a slouchy black Dior purse, Gucci slingback heels, and a ponytail.

Even as a wedding guest, Swift sparkled.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in New York City on May 16.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in New York City on May 16.

XNY/Star Max/Getty Images

Swift and Kelce attended a wedding in New York City in May and were photographed outside the event.

While Kelce sported a black Essentials suit with subtle pinstripes, Swift glowed beside him in a shimmering Maria Lucia Hohan gown.

The sleeveless design had waist cutouts, all-over ruching, and thin straps.

It looked stunning on Swift, who wore it with gold Aquazzura sandals and opal jewelry that previously belonged to Elizabeth Taylor (whom Swift name-checked on her latest album).

Swift showed some spirit at a major NBA Finals game.
Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden for the NBA Finals.
Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden for the NBA Finals.

Al Bello/Getty Images

Swift sat courtside with Mariska Hargitay, the Haim sisters, and other Knicks fans who cheered their way through Game 4.

Her outfit for the night was perfectly on brand. Made by Alana Haim, Swift's blue T-shirt had "Stevie Knicks" printed in orange across the chest.

The shirt was festive and fun, nodding to Swift's love for both the sports team and the iconic musician. She wore it with Area jeans and chain-adorned sandal heels.

She looked glamorous in a black floral gown at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction.
Taylor Swift at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction in New York City.
Taylor Swift at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction in New York City.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Swift became the youngest woman inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June.

She wore a custom Givenchy gown for the occasion. It was black, strapless, and corseted at the bodice, which connected to a floor-length skirt with a thigh-high slit.

It was a memorable look for an equally memorable night.

The pop star looked more like a princess at the "Toy Story 5" premiere.
Taylor Swift at the "Toy Story 5" premiere in Los Angeles.
Taylor Swift at the "Toy Story 5" premiere in Los Angeles.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Swift arrived on the red carpet wearing a patchwork minidress from Erdem.

It had a corset bodice, off-the-shoulder sleeves, exaggerated pockets, and a raw hemline.

The dress was playful, fashion-forward, and the perfect choice for a movie premiere.

Swift sparkled her way down the Academy Museum Gala red carpet.
Taylor Swift at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.
Taylor Swift at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Dior designed Swift's baby-blue gown, which suited her in silhouette and color.

It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline, a glittery bow up top, all-over ruching, and a floor-length skirt with a short train.

She accessorized with Aquazzura heels and Chopard diamond jewelry.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Taylor Swift's 'The Life of a Showgirl' is one of her biggest albums on the Billboard 200. Here's how her others rank.

20 October 2026 at 18:24
Taylor Swift wearing a silver metallic outfit, performing "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" on the Eras Tour stage.
Taylor Swift performs during The Eras Tour in Dublin.

Charles McQuillan/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

  • Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" has spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
  • It's her second-longest reign atop the chart, surpassing "Fearless" and "1989."
  • "The Tortured Poets Department" holds the record in Swift's catalog with 17 weeks at No. 1.

Taylor Swift gave us fair warning in her newest album: "I'm married to the hustle."

Swift's 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," not only broke the record for the biggest debut sales week ever, but it continued to amass sales and streams in the US for a year after its release.

With 15 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, "Showgirl" has surpassed "Fearless" and "1989" as Swift's second-longest reign on the all-genre album chart.

The impressive tally comes shortly after Swift set a personal-best chart record with "The Tortured Poets Department." Keep reading for a ranking of her 16 studio albums (including both originals and rerecords) based on their Billboard 200 performances.

10. "Taylor Swift"
Taylor Swift debut album cover
Taylor Swift's debut album, "Taylor Swift," was released in 2006.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 5

Swift's self-titled debut is the only studio album in her catalog that hasn't reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

"Taylor Swift" debuted at No. 19 and scaled the chart for more than a year, peaking at No. 5 in 2008.

9 (tie). "Lover"
Taylor Swift Lover album cover
Taylor Swift's seventh album, "Lover," was released in 2019.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for one week

Swift's seventh studio album was the first one that she owned outright, thanks to her new label contract with UMG.

"Lover" was promoted by several singles, including "You Need to Calm Down," "The Archer," and "The Man."

Four years later, after Swift kicked off the Eras Tour with "Cruel Summer" near the top of the set list, the fan-favorite song climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for four weeks, becoming the album's biggest hit.

9 (tie). "Red (Taylor's Version)"
Taylor Swift Red (Taylor's Version)
The cover art for "Red (Taylor's Version)" was photographed by Beth Garrabrant.

Taylor Swift/UMG

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for one week

The extended tracklist for "Red (Taylor's Version)" included the storied extended cut of "All Too Well," a longtime fan-favorite song in Swift's catalog.

"All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" was released alongside a short film directed by Swift and promoted by a convention-breaking performance on "Saturday Night Live." It became the longest song to reach No. 1 in the history of the Hot 100.

8 (tie). "Fearless (Taylor's Version)"
taylor swift fearless taylors version album cover
"Fearless (Taylor's Version)" was released in 2021.

Taylor Swift/UMG

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for two weeks

"Fearless" was the first rerecorded album that Swift ever released.

The "Taylor's Version" series was inspired by the sale of Swift's masters to Scooter Braun in 2019, which she described as her "worst case scenario" in a passionate open letter. Swift decided to remake and rerelease her first six albums in a bid to reclaim ownership of her life's work. Braun later sold Swift's masters to a private equity firm.

In addition to faithfully recreating each tracklist, Swift decided to add never-before-heard songs "from the vault" that were written during the album's original creative process but cut from the final product.

"I've spoken a lot about why I'm remaking my first six albums, but the way I've chosen to do this will hopefully help illuminate where I'm coming from," Swift explained. "Artists should own their own work for so many reasons, but the most screamingly obvious one is that the artist is the only one who really knows that body of work."

"For example, only I know which songs I wrote that almost made the 'Fearless' album," she continued. "Songs I absolutely adored, but were held back for different reasons."

Many were skeptical that the "Taylor's Version" project would be embraced by fans, let alone achieve commercial success.

Those skeptics were forced to eat their words when "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" began to outpace the original on streaming platforms. According to Billboard, "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" earned more equivalent album sales in its first week of release than "Fearless" earned over the entire next year.

Four years later, in May 2025, Swift announced that she bought back her masters from Shamrock Capital, giving her complete control over her musical catalog and rendering her "Taylor's Version" project moot.

8 (tie). "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)"
taylor swift speak now taylor's version cover
"Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" was released in 2023.

Taylor Swift/UMG

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for two weeks

The rerecorded version of Swift's third album featured six songs from the vault, including two duets with Fall Out Boy and Hayley Williams.

7 (tie). "Reputation"
taylor swift reputation
The album cover for "Reputation."

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for four weeks

"Reputation" arrived after an extended period of silence. Swift's longtime feud with Kim Kardashian and Ye (then known as Kanye West) had reached a fever pitch; in response to a massive social media hate campaign, Swift decamped to London and withdrew from the public eye.

She returned with a new snake-infested aesthetic and "Look What You Made Me Do," a cheeky lead single that poked fun at her own persona — and quickly rose to No. 1 on the Hot 100.

Swift also declined to participate in interviews or media appearances while promoting her sixth album. Instead, she relied on a simple tagline: "There will be no further explanation. There will just be reputation."

7 (tie). "Evermore"
taylor swift evermore album cover
Taylor Swift's ninth album, "Evermore," was released in 2020.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for four weeks

"Evermore" was surprise-released just five months after Swift's previous album, "Folklore." The two were billed as "sister albums," created under near-identical conditions with the same team of collaborators.

"To put it plainly, we just couldn't stop writing songs," Swift explained on social media.

"Evermore" was nominated for album of the year at the 2022 Grammys, but lost to Jon Batiste's "We Are."

6 (tie). "Speak Now"
Taylor Swift, Speak Now, original album cover
Taylor Swift's third album, "Speak Now," was released in 2010.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for six weeks

Swift's third album had a lot to live up to, following the blockbuster success of "Fearless."

In response to skeptics — who questioned whether the teen phenom was relying too heavily on her collaborators — she decided to write "Speak Now" entirely by herself. Swift is the only songwriter credited on the standard tracklist.

6 (tie). "Midnights"
taylor swift midnights album cover
Taylor Swift's 10th album, "Midnights," was released in 2022.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for six weeks

Swift's 10th studio album sold over 1 million copies in its debut week, the first to cross that seven-figure threshold since Swift's own "Reputation." (She has now achieved the feat on eight different occasions.)

"Midnights" also won album of the year at the Grammys, joining "Fearless," "1989," and "Folklore" in the prestigious group of victors. Swift is the only artist in history to win album of the year four times.

6 (tie). "1989 (Taylor's Version)"
taylor swift 1989 album cover
"1989 (Taylor's Version)" will be released on October 27, 2023.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for six weeks

The rerecorded version of "1989" was released nine years after the original album. Swift added five vault tracks, including the fan-favorite song "Is It Over Now?"

5. "Red"
taylor swift red album cover
Taylor Swift's fourth album, "Red," was released in 2012.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for seven weeks

"Red" is Swift's fourth studio album. It featured a mishmash of Max Martin-produced pop bangers, including "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and "I Knew You Were Trouble," as well as country-rock breakup anthems such as "State of Grace" and "Holy Ground."

4. "Folklore"
taylor swift folklore album cover
Taylor Swift's new album cover and additional promo photos were taken by Beth Garrabrant.

Taylor Swift/Republic Records

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for eight weeks

"Folklore" marked a sonic departure for Swift, stripping down her favored synth-pop production to reveal introspective reflections and intricate narratives.

The pandemic-era album was co-produced by Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Aaron Dessner of The National. It received rave reviews from critics and is widely considered Swift's best work to date.

3 (tie). "Fearless"
Taylor Swift Fearless original album cover
Taylor Swift's sophomore album, "Fearless," was released in 2008.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for 11 weeks

Swift's sophomore effort had the longest run at No. 1 of any album in the 2000s. "Fearless" has since been certified diamond by the RIAA.

3 (tie). "1989"
taylor swift 1989 album cover
"1989" was released on October 27, 2014.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for 11 weeks

Swift's fifth album marked her official pivot from country to pop music, a move that Swift said she had to "really fight — and I mean aggressively fight — to have happen."

In addition to its double-digit streak atop the Billboard 200, "1989" yielded three No. 1 songs on the Hot 100: "Shake It Off," "Blank Space," and "Bad Blood" featuring Kendrick Lamar.

2. "The Life of a Showgirl"
Taylor Swift The Life of a Showgirl standard edition album cover
Taylor Swift's 12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl," was released on October 3, 2025.

TAS Rights Management

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for 15 weeks

Cowritten and co-produced with Max Martin and Shellback, "The Life of a Showgirl" was described by Swift as a snapshot of "everything that was going on behind the curtain" during the Eras Tour.

After its initial three-month run atop the Billboard 200, "The Life of a Showgirl" returned to No. 1 in October 2026 when Swift released the deluxe edition, dubbed "The Encore."

The album's reign at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 brought Swift's total sum atop the chart to 101 weeks, extending her record among solo artists.

Since the Billboard 200 was launched in 1956, only The Beatles have logged more weeks at No. 1 than Swift. The band holds the all-time record with 132 weeks.

1. "The Tortured Poets Department"
taylor swift the tortured poets department deluxe album cover
Taylor Swift's 11th album, "The Tortured Poets Department," was released in 2024.

Taylor Swift

Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 for 17 weeks

Swift's 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department," did not leave the No. 1 slot for 12 straight weeks after its debut in April 2024, fending off new releases from stars like Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, and Zach Bryan.

The uninterrupted reign of "Poets" was rare for a streaming-era release. It became the first album ever by a female artist to spend its first 12 weeks atop the chart, surpassing a record previously held by Whitney Houston's 1987 blockbuster "Whitney." (The all-time record for a consecutive streak among women is held by Carole King's "Tapestry," which spent 15 weeks at No. 1 in 1971.)

Swift briefly yielded the top spot to Eminem and Stray Kids before "Poets" notched 13th, 14th, and 15th consecutive weeks atop the chart.

The album eventually fell to lower positions, but then in December of that same year, it returned for two more weeks at No. 1 after Swift released physical versions of the album's deluxe version, "The Anthology," for Black Friday.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Celebrity deaths in 2026: Remembering the famous people we lost this year

Mike Ditka in a Chicago Bears jacket
Mike Ditka.

George Gojkovich/Getty Images

  • Actors James Van Der Beek, Hayden Panettiere, Robert Duvall, Chuck Norris, and Eva Marie Saint died in 2026.
  • So did musicians Dolly Parton and Duncan Sheik.
  • Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, activist Gloria Steinem, and NFL Hall of Famer Mike Ditka also died this year.

Below, we look back at the celebrities we lost in 2026, listed in alphabetical order.

Scott Adams, 68
Scott Adams next to a cut out of his creation comic book character Dilbert
Scott Adams.

Michael Macor/Getty Images

Scott Adams worked at a telephone company in the 1980s. The experience inspired his beloved comic strip, "Dilbert."

By the end of the decade, the character and his satirical office humor began appearing in comic strips.

At its peak, "Dilbert" was syndicated in over 2,000 newspapers. A cartoon series debuted in 1999, running for two seasons.

Adams gained notoriety when he began writing blog posts praising Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential run. In 2023, "Dilbert" was pulled from newspapers across the US following racist comments made by Adams.

Adams died on January 13 from metastatic prostate cancer.

Brad Arnold, 47
Brad Arnold leaning on a microphone stand
Brad Arnold.

Scott Gries/ImageDirect/Getty Images

The lead singer of 3 Doors Down, Brad Arnold launched the group into fame with the 2000 rock anthem "Kryptonite," which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.

The success led to other hits like "Loser," "Here Without You," and "When I'm Gone." Arnold's vocal range and lyrics focused on love and love lost, which fueled the group to stardom.

Arnold died on February 7 from a type of kidney cancer.

Afrika Bambaataa, 68
Afrika Bambaataa wearing sunglasses
Afrika Bambaataa.

Paul Natkin/WireImage/Getty

A hip-hop pioneer during the 1970s and 1980s, Lance Taylor, known professionally as Afrika Bambaataa, first gained attention as a DJ in the Bronx.

He signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1981 and released landmark songs like "Jazzy Sensation" and "Planet Rock." He would go on to influence the likes of Queen Latifah and A Tribe Called Quest throughout his career.

Bambaataa founded the hip-hop awareness group, Universal Zulu Nation, in the 1970s to steer kids away from gang life. Bambaataa stepped down as the head of the organization in 2016 after accusations of sexual abuse.

Bambaataa denied all claims.

He died on April 9 due to prostate cancer.

Rob Bass, 59
Rob Bass sitting in a recording studio
Rob Bass.

Al Pereira/Michael Osche Archives/Getty Images

One of the icons responsible for bringing hip-hop to the mainstream, Rob Bass crafted the iconic track "It Takes Two" alongside DJ E-Z Rock.

The track, released in 1988, reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Songs chart and later went certified platinum. In 1989, it was voted the greatest single of all time by Spin magazine.

Bass died on May 22 following cancer.

Nicholas Brendon, 54
Nicholas Brendon in a swearer
Nicholas Brendon.

Getty Images

Nicholas Brendon was a television actor, best known for playing Xander Harris in all seven seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

He also starred in "Criminal Minds" and "Kitchen Confidential."

Brendon died in his sleep on March 20 due to natural causes, according to his family's statement.

In 2023, Brendon suffered a heart attack and was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He also had cauda equina syndrome, which led to several spinal surgeries.

"While it's no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis, and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing," the statement to The Hollywood Reporter read. "Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination, and heart."

Peabo Bryson, 75
Peabo Bryson sitting on a blue chair
Peabo Bryson.

ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

Two-time Grammy winner Peabo Bryson is best known for his classic love ballads.

Bryson began releasing music in the late 1970s, but one of his first major hits was opposite Roberta Flack on the 1983 duet, "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love." He continued hit-making a year later with the smash "If Ever You're in My Arms Again," and in 1991, he topped the R&B charts with "Can You Stop the Rain."

Bryson found global stardom with his renditions of two Disney classics. In 1991, he released the pop version of "Beauty and the Beast," alongside Céline Dion, and a year later, he duetted with Regina Belle on "A Whole New World" from the 1992 release of "Aladdin."

Bryson died on June 2. No cause was given.

James Burrows, 85
James Burrows
James Burrows.

Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images

An 11-time Emmy winner and co-creator of "Cheers," director James Burrows helped shape modern TV comedy through his work on iconic sitcoms including "Will & Grace," "Friends," and "Frasier."

Known for his comedic timing and elaborate blocking, Burrows got his start directing episodes of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." Throughout his career, he directed episodes of "Frasier" (winning an Emmy for the pilot episode), "Will & Grace," "Friends," and "The Big Bang Theory." He directed over 50 pilot episodes.

Burrows died on June 19. No cause was given.

Kyle Busch, 41
Kyle Busch in a blue race suit and hat
Kyle Busch.

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Busch was considered one of the greatest racers of all time.

Busch was hospitalized on May 21, before two upcoming races. Hours later, he was pronounced dead.

Busch died from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.

Robert Carradine, 71
Robert Carradine in a grey suit with a bow tie and pocket protector filled with pens
Robert Carradine.

Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty

Robert Carradine was best known for his roles as Lizzie McGuire's dad and as the iconic geek Lewis Skolnick in the 1980s franchise "Revenge of the Nerds."

As a member of Hollywood's famed Carradine family, Robert was destined for an onscreen career.

He received one of his first screen credits starring in his brother David Carradine's popular 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" and went on to land roles in everything from Samuel Fuller's World War II classic "The Big Red One" to the "Lizzie McGuire" series.

Carradine's family shared statements with Deadline that emphasized being open about his struggles with mental illness.

"We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby's valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder," Carradine's family said. "We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness."

Carradine died by suicide on February 23.

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.

Bud Cort, 77
Bud Cort blowing a bubble
Bud Cort.

CBS Photo Archive/CBS via Getty Images

Most famous for his role as Harold in the 1971 cult-classic "Harold and Maude," Bud Cort became the epitome of 1970s counterculture thanks to his baby-faced looks, wit, and sophisticated persona.

The dark comedy starred Cort as Harold, a man in his 20s who is obsessed with suicide until he meets 79-year-old eccentric Maude (Ruth Gordon).

Before that, Cort scored bit parts in Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H*" (1970) and "Brewster McCloud" (1970).

After "Harold and Maude," Cort worked steadily for the rest of his life, occasionally showing up in hit movies like Michael Mann's "Heat" (1995) and Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" (2004).

Cort died on February 11 following a long illness.

Tim Curry, 80
Tim Curry.
Tim Curry.

Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Curry is best known for playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult-classic musical "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," after originating the role in the original stage production.

Over six decades, Curry carved out a niche playing outlandish villains like Rooster Hannigan in the 1982 film "Annie" and Pennywise in the 1990 miniseries "It." Other notable roles include Wadsworth the Butler in "Clue" (1985) and Mr. Hector in "Home Alone 2: Escape from New York."

Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012, which required brain surgery. He said in 2025 that he was "still recovering."

Curry died at his Los Angeles home on August 26. No cause was given.

Eric Dane, 53
Eric Dane.
Eric Dane

Pief Weyman/NBC via Getty Images

Long before becoming one of TV's most recognizable heartthrobs, Eric Dane was building his career with guest roles on series like "Saved by the Bell" and "Married… with Children."

He later gained wider attention with appearances on "Charmed" before landing his breakout role as Dr. Mark "McSteamy" Sloan on "Grey's Anatomy." He most recently starred in HBO's "Euphoria," where he played Cal Jacobs, the father of Jacob Elordi's character, Nate Jacobs.

Dane has two children with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart. In April 2025, the actor said that he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

Dane died on February 19 at age 53, his publicist confirmed in a statement to Business Insider.

"He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," his publicist said.

Clive Davis, 94
Clive Davis in a dark suit purple tie
Clive Davis.

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

A legend in the music world, Davis was responsible for elevating pop music to unthinkable heights by discovering talents like Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Whitney Houston, and Alicia Keys, to name a few.

Over his 50-year career, along with being an executive behind millions of album sales, he also won five Grammys, including two for Album of the Year ("The Bodyguard" soundtrack and "Supernatural" by Santana).

Davis died on June 22. No cause was given.

Mike Ditka, 86
Mike Ditka being held up on his players' shoulders
Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka gets carried off the field after they defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX on January 26, 1986.

Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Mike Ditka was the first tight end ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a coach for the Chicago Bears, he led the team to its only Super Bowl win to date in 1986.

Ditka's success turned him into a celebrity who showed up in commercials, TV shows, and movies in cameo roles.

One of his most famous was starring opposite Will Ferrell in the 2005 comedy "Kicking and Screaming."

His persona became the long-running "Saturday Night Live" sketch called "Bill Swerski's Superfans," in which cast members dressed up as Ditka and spoke about their love for "Da Bears."

Ditka died on October 9; no cause was given.

Robert Duvall, 95
Robert Duvall in a leather jacket
Robert Duvall.

Jack Mitchell/Getty Images

Robert Duvall starred in a plethora of timeless classics, including "The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II," "Apocalypse Now," "THX 1138," "The Natural," "Days of Thunder," and "The Apostle."

Duvall will be best remembered for starring in three of director Francis Ford Coppola's iconic films: playing Tom Hagen in the first two "Godfather" movies and Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore in "Apocalypse Now," in which he delivers one of the most memorable lines in movie history: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."

Duvall was lauded for his acting talent, from not saying a word while playing Boo Radley in his first big screen role in the 1962 classic "To Kill a Mockingbird" to his portrayal of a country singer dealing with alcoholism in 1983's "Tender Mercies," which earned him an Oscar.

He died on his ranch in Virginia on February 15. No cause was given.

Brenda Fricker, 81
Brenda Fricker with pigeons on her shoulders and arms in Home Alone 2
Brenda Fricker in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York."

20th Century Fox

This Irish actress was a fixture on the stage and screen for six decades. But she's most known for showing up in the "Home Alone" sequel.

As The Pigeon Lady in 1992's "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," Fricker has become a fixture for families during the holiday season for decades (and in 2020 became the subject of a popular meme).

But Fricker's acting talents go beyond playing a spooky wanderer of Central Park.

In 1990, she became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award, as she was given the best supporting actress Oscar that year for her performance in "My Left Foot."

Fricker died on July 16; no cause was given.

Mark Fuhrman, 74
Mark Fuhrman in a suit and tie
Mark Fuhrman.

Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

Fuhrman cemented his place in popular culture as one of the lead LAPD detectives on the 1995 murder case of O.J. Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman.

Fuhrman found the famed bloody glove on the Simpson estate, and during the trial, he gained infamy when Simpson's defense team used his past racist language to discredit him as a witness.

Fuhrman retired from the LAPD after the Simpson trial and moved to Idaho, where he wrote true crime books.

Fuhrman died on May 12 of throat cancer.

Valentino Garavani, 93
Valentino Garavani stanging in a white suit in front of red dresses
Valentino Garavani.

Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Getty Images

For over six decades, one name has been synonymous with women's high fashion: Valentino.

The Italian designer launched his fashion business in Rome in 1960 and never looked back. Soon, every star wanted to be seen in his creations. They've been worn by icons like Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins, Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Sharon Stone, and more.

Though Garavani retired from designing in 2008, his label is still a red carpet staple, as is his famous shade of bright red dubbed "Valentino Red."

Garavani died on January 19. No cause was given.

Donald Gibb, 71
Donald Gibb in a football jacket in Revenge of the Nerds movie
Donald Gibb.

20th Century Fox

No one defined a bully for a generation more than Gibb's hulking fraternity character Ogre in the "Revenge of the Nerds" movies of the 1980s.

Since the original raunchy comedy was released in 1984, Gibb's intimidating size and loud yells of "NERDS!" have become as memorable as the pocket protectors worn by the movie's geeks.

Gibb went on to star opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in his classic 1988 action movie "Bloodsport." He also landed guest star roles through his career on shows like "Quantum Leap," "Magnum P.I.," "MacGyver," "Night Court," and "Cheers."

Gibb died on May 12 following health complications.

Chad Gilbert, 45
Chad Gilbert playing the guitar on stage
Chad Gilbert.

Andrew Benge/Redferns/Getty

Gilbert was the guitarist and backing vocalist for the punk band New Found Glory.

The band's hit albums include 2002's "Sticks And Stones" and 2004's "Catalyst." Both showed up in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Gilbert died on September 20; no cause was given, but Gilbert told People in April he was battling stage 4 adrenal cancer.

Glen Hansard, 56
Glen Hansard holding his hands to his heart next to a microphone
Glen Hansard.

Frank Hoensch/Redferns/Getty

Irish singer-songwriter Hansard was the frontman of the rock band The Frames and one-half of the band The Swell Season. But he was perhaps best known for writing and starring in the hit 2007 indie film "Once," in which he and his Swell Season bandmate Markéta Irglová play two struggling musicians who fall in love. The duo won an Oscar for best original song for the film's standout track, "Falling Slowly."

Hansard also embarked on a solo career; his 2015 album, "Didn't He Ramble," was nominated for a Grammy for best folk album.

Hansard died on July 29 in a motorcycle crash in Dublin.

Dennis Haskins, 75
Dennis Haskins with jacket over his shoulder
Dennis Haskins.

NBC/Getty Images

For those who grew up in the '90s, Dennis Haskins was your favorite high school principal, Mr. Belding.

Starring in the hit TV series "Saved By The Bell," Haskins' Belding character traveled the halls trying to be a step ahead of the hijinks inflicted by Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and his friends. But unlike many school principals in pop culture who were mean and seemed to hate kids, Haskins played his authority role with a playful, good-natured style.

He was on the show's full four-season run from 1989 to 1993, and also starred in the spin-off, "Saved By The Bell: The New Class," from 1993 to 2000.

Haskins' other credits include "The Bold and the Beautiful," "Mad Men," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," and "New Girl."

Haskins died on September 27; no cause was given.

Anthony Head, 72
Anthony Head in a black jacket and grey scarf
Anthony Head.

James Quinton/WireImage/Getty

Rising up through the UK stage scene in the 1980s, Head found fame when he was cast as Rupert Giles, who became a father figure to Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy Summers in all seven seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Most recently, he played the bitter former owner of AFC Richmond on "Ted Lasso."

Head's death was announced by his family on June 5. They stated the cause was "complications due to pneumonia."

David Hockney, 88
David Hockney poses for a portrait in his Los Angeles home in 1987.
David Hockney at home in Los Angeles in 1987.

Anthony Barboza/Getty Images

British painter David Hockney was renowned for his striking portraits and figurative pop art. Many of his best-known paintings, including 1966's "The Splash" and 1972's "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)," were inspired by the bright colors and sun-dappled pools of Los Angeles.

Hockney moved to Los Angeles in the late '60s, and his work became synonymous with the warmth and leisure of Southern California. He was also one of the few popular artists at the time to depict openly gay scenes, and Hockney was outspoken about anti-gay censorship.

Throughout his career, Hockney split time between California, England, and France. He died at his home in London on June 12 at age 88, his publicist confirmed to The New York Times. No cause of death was given.

Jesse Jackson, 84
Jesse Jackson
Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks at Operation PUSH in Chicago, Illinois in December 1989.

Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement, a minister, and an activist icon who twice ran for president.

Born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson experienced Jim Crow segregation on public buses and at school firsthand. It would shape the rest of his life.

His fight for civil rights began in the 1960s, when he helped organize protests and demonstrations across the US and worked closely alongside civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

His decadeslong career as a leading civil rights activist included support for modern national movements, such as the push for voting rights, the fight against racism, and a higher minimum wage.

Jackson ran for president twice, both times as a democrat. He placed third for the party's nomination in 1984 and second in 1988. This marked the most successful presidential runs of any Black candidate prior to Barack Obama.

Jackson announced in 2017 that he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. In November 2025, Jackson was treated in a Chicago hospital after complications from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative condition.

Jackson died on February 17.

Yayoi Kusama, 97
Yayoi Kusama presented an "Infinity Room" installation in Paris.
Yayoi Kusama presented an "Infinity Room" installation in Paris.

Alain Nogues/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images

Kusama was a famed Japanese pop artist who often used polka-dot motifs in her work, initially rising to prominence in Japan in the 1950s.

In 1959, Kusama presented her first solo exhibition in New York: a collection of abstract paintings that an ARTnews review praised as "strong, advanced in concept and realized."

Kusama later branched into sculptures, performances, and immersive installations. She continued to expand her influence and relevance into the social media era, when her mirrored "Infinity Room" installations became Instagram-friendly attractions that inspired many copycats.

Kusama died on August 14 in Tokyo. She was 97.

Bob Mackie, 87
Bob Mackie looking through gold curtain
Bob Mackie.

Mel Melcon/Getty Images

As one of Hollywood's most renowned costume designers, Bob Mackie's eye set the style for decades.

Known as the Sultan of Sequins, the Rajah of Rhinestones, or the Guru of Glitter, a signature of Mackie's work was its use of sparkle, which made everyone from Cher to Elton John to Dolly Parton to Sabrina Carpenter shine on stage.

He also was the costume designer on "The Carol Burnett Show" for all eleven seasons through the 1970s. He won nine Emmys, a Tony Award, and was nominated for three Academy Awards for his work.

Mackie died on September 14; no cause was given.

RJ Mitte, 34
RJ Mitte in a jacket and black turtleneck
RJ Mitte.

Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic/Getty

Mitte was best known for playing the son of Bryan Cranston's Walter White in the hit series "Breaking Bad."

Mitte, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was 3 years old, became a disability rights activist after finding fame with "Breaking Bad."

His other credits include the 2021 movie "Triumph," in which he played a high school student with cerebral palsy who tries out for the wrestling team. He also starred in the 2024 thriller "Love Me Dead" opposite Dove Cameron.

Mitte died by suicide on October 12.

Patrick Muldoon, 57
Patrick Muldoon in a grey suit
Patrick Muldoon.

Mitchell Haaseth/NBC/Getty

In the 1990s, you couldn't escape the piercing eyes of Patrick Muldoon.

He played Austin Reed on "Days of Our Lives" for most of the decade, and when he wasn't on the soap, he was over on "Melrose Place" playing the villain role of Richard Hart.

If being on two iconic shows wasn't enough, he also showed up on "Saved by the Bell" and had a role in the cult classic movie "Starship Troopers."

Muldoon died on April 19 after a heart attack.

Sam Neill, 78
Sam Neill looking into camera black and white
Sam Neill.

Nick Haddow/Penske Media/Getty Images

With a career spanning more than five decades and including countless memorable performances in movies and television, Sam Neill was one of the most versatile actors of his generation,

The New Zealand actor starred opposite Nicole Kidman in the 1989 thriller "Dead Calm," played the loyal first officer opposite Sean Connery in 1990's "The Hunt for Red October," played the lead in John Carpenter's 1994 horror "In the Mouth of Madness," and most recently starred in the hit series "Peaky Blinders."

But Neill is best known for playing the brave and all-dinosaur-knowing Dr. Alan Grant in the "Jurassic Park" franchise.

Neill died on July 13; no cause was given. Neill was battling a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer, but was cancer-free at the time of his death, according to a post on his Instagram account announcing his passing.

Tom Noonan, 74
Tom Noonan in a gray shirt
Tom Noonan.

Mike Albans/New York Daily News Archive/Getty Images

Standing at a towering 6' 5", Tom Noonan was born to play the bad guy. And he did just that, starring as the villain in movies like "Manhunter," "RoboCop 2," and "Last Action Hero."

But this actor had more to show off. He showcased his comedy chops as Rodney Dangerfield's degenerate gambling friend in the 1983 comedy "Easy Money," and set up the heist for Robert De Niro in Michael Mann's 1995 classic "Heat."

His knack for storytelling also translated behind the camera. Noonan wrote, directed, and starred in the drama "What Happened Was," which won the grand prize at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.

Noonan died on February 14; no cause was given.

Chuck Norris, 86
Chuck Norris in a shirt
Chuck Norris.

Frederic Meylan/Getty

Few action stars have Chuck Norris' credentials.

Before he ever stepped in front of a camera, he was a martial arts champion and a black belt in Karate, judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo, and Tang Soo Do.

His talents would become known the world over in 1972, when he faced off against Bruce Lee in "The Way of the Dragon."

Through the 1980s, Norris became one of the biggest action stars in the world thanks to movies like "A Force of One," "The Octagon," and the "Delta Force" and "Missing in Action" franchises.

In the 1990s, he took over the small screen, playing the lead in the "Walker, Texas Ranger" TV show, which aired in over 100 countries during its run from 1993 to 2001.

Norris was hospitalized on March 19 in Hawaii and died the following day, according to his family. No cause was given.

Catherine O'Hara, 71
Catherine O'Hara at the 2024 Oscars.
Catherine O'Hara at the 2024 Oscars.

Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

O'Hara, who was best known for her roles in "Beetlejuice" and "Home Alone," got her start in the Canadian comedy scene, appearing in the now-legendary cast of "SCTV."

It would mark the beginning of a fruitful partnership with fellow actor Eugene Levy, who became her frequent costar and collaborator in memorable appearances in Christopher Guest films like "A Mighty Wind" and "Best in Show" and television series like "Schitt's Creek," which earned her an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in 2020.

O'Hara's representative confirmed her death to Business Insider on January 30. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed in a death certificate viewed by People that O'Hara died of a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer listed as an underlying cause.

Hayden Panettiere, 36
Hayden Panettiere in a black and red top
Hayden Panettiere.

Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic/Getty

Panettiere began acting as a child, landing one of her earliest major roles as Sarah Roberts on the ABC soap opera "One Life to Live," on which she appeared from 1994 to 1997.

As her career progressed, she became best known for portraying Claire Bennet on "Heroes" and Juliette Barnes on "Nashville."

Over the years, Panettiere had spoken openly about her struggles with alcoholism and postpartum depression. She detailed those experiences in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," which was released in May.

Panettiere died on August 16. A final autopsy report by the Greenville County Coroner's Office ruled her death an accident caused by the toxic effects of fentanyl and other drugs.

Dolly Parton, 80
Dolly Parton poses for a portrait session in 1978.
Dolly Parton poses for a portrait session in 1978.

Harry Langdon/Getty Images

Parton released her debut album, "Hello, I'm Dolly," in 1967 and went on to pen country hits like "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene," both of which were released as singles in 1974.

In addition to her music, Parton was beloved for her flamboyant style and her philanthropy. She founded the Dollywood Foundation in 1988, a charitable organization focused on education and community initiatives in her home state of Tennessee. She continued to fund scholarship programs and donate to hospitals, public health initiatives, and disaster relief programs throughout her life.

Parton is known as the best-selling female country music artist of all time. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

Parton's 49th and final solo studio album, "Rockstar," was released in 2023. The tracklist included both original material and covers of classic rock songs, featuring an array of guests like Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Joan Jett, and Parton's goddaughter, Miley Cyrus.

News broke on August 25 that Parton died following unspecified health issues. She was 80.

Vincent Pastore, 80
Vincent Pastore wearing a burgundy shirt
Vincent Pastore.

Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic/Getty

This character actor found fame appearing in a string of mob movies in the 1990s, like "Goodfellas," "Carlito's Way," and "Men of Respect." But Pastore truly became a star when he was cast in the hit HBO series "The Sopranos."

As Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, Pastore was part of the main cast for the first two seasons of the show, playing Tony Soprano's mob enforcer-turned-FBI informant. Bonpensiero's shocking death was one of the most famous in the show's history and proved that no one was safe from getting whacked.

Pastore died on August 1. No cause was given.

Valerie Perrine, 82
Valerie Perrine sitting in a truck
Valerie Perrine.

Stanley Bielecki Movie Collection/Getty Images

Perrine found herself cast alongside the biggest stars of the 1970s.

She played the love interest opposite Jeff Bridges in 1973's "The Last American Hero" and Robert Redford in 1979's "The Electric Horseman." She earned an Oscar nomination for starring alongside Dustin Hoffman in 1974's "Lenny."

For most, she'll be remembered best for sharing the screen with Gene Hackman as the secretary to his evil Lex Luthor in 1978's "Superman." She also starred in the sequel. As Ms. Teschmacher, her loyalty to Luthor is questioned when she rescues Superman (Christopher Reeve) after he's chained with Kryptonite.

Perrine died in her home in Beverly Hills on March 23. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015.

Richard Riehle, 78
Richard Riehle in a dark shirt
Richard Riehle.

Renard Garr/FilmMagic/Getty

A prolific character actor, Riehle has over 400 screen credits, appearing in everything from "Casino" to "Bridesmaids" over his career.

He's best known for playing the worker in "Office Space" who, after being laid off, wins a large payout from a lawsuit after a suicide attempt.

Other credits include "The Fugitive," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," and "Transformers: Age of Extinction."

Riehle died on October 15; no cause was given.

Sonny Rollins, 95
Sonny Rollins wearing sunglasses and playing a saxaphone
Sonny Rollins.

Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images

One of the most influential jazz musicians in history, Rollins recorded more than 60 albums over his seven-decade career.

His live album, "A Night at the Village Vanguard," is considered one of the greatest jazz albums ever made.

Rollins died on May 25; no cause was given.

Eva Marie Saint, 102
Eva Marie Saint sitting in chair with arm drapped over it
Eva Marie Saint.

Getty Images

An Oscar and Emmy winner, Eva Marie Saint appeared in classic movies in Hollywood history.

She made her film debut starring opposite Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan's 1954 classic "On the Waterfront," which won her the Oscar for best supporting actress. In 1959, she heated up the screen with Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock's defining thriller "North by Northwest."

In 1990, she won an Emmy for her work in the miniseries "People Like Us."

Saint died on October 6 of natural causes.

Neil Sedaka, 86
Neil Sedaka singing while sitting at a piano
Neil Sedaka.

Bettmann Archive/Getty

Sedaka is responsible for some of the biggest pop songs of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Brooklyn native wrote over 500 songs, including classic hits like "Laughter in the Rain," "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," "Bad Blood" and the Captain & Tennille song, "Love Will Keep Us Together."

Sedaka died on February 27; no cause was given.

Gene Shalit, 100
Gene Shalit sitting at desk with typwriter and movie reel
Gene Shalit.

NBC/Getty

Before there was Rotten Tomatoes or even Siskel & Ebert, movie lovers got their recommendations from Gene Shalit.

The iconic movie critic could be seen sporting his signature look of glasses, bushy hair, and big mustache as a staple on the "Today" show from 1973 to 2010. If he wasn't interviewing the biggest movie stars, he was reviewing movies with incredible puns ("'Ishtar' is Ish-terrible.")

His larger-than-life presence left a mark on pop culture: he was parodied as a Muppet and on countless episodes of "SCTV" and "Saturday Night Live."

Shalit died on June 12; no cause was given.

Duncan Sheik, 56
Duncan Sheik playing the guitar
Duncan Sheik.

J. Vespa/WireImage/Getty

Sheik found success in the late 1990s with his hit song "Barely Breathing." He later pivoted from alt-rock to a career on Broadway, composing the music for the Tony-winning musical "Spring Awakening." His other stage credits include "American Psycho" (2013) and "The Secret Life of Bees" (2019).

Sheik died on September 17 after a cardiac arrest.

Kiki Shepard, 74
Kiki Shepard in a leopard print top
Kiki Shepard.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

In her 15-year tenure as a co-host on "Showtime at the Apollo," Kiki Shepard was considered royalty at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater.

Known in the building as "Apollo Queen of Fashion" thanks to her dazzling outfits, Shepherd was a fixture on the show from 1987 to 2002.

Throughout her career, Shepard also appeared on TV shows like "Baywatch," "A Different World," "NYPD Blue," and "Grey's Anatomy."

Shepard died on March 16 after suffering a heart attack.

Gloria Steinem, 92
Gloria Steinem in a brown dress
Gloria Steinem.

Barbara Alper/Getty Images

An icon in the women's liberation movement of the 1970s, Steinem dedicated most of her life to fighting sexism.

Starting her career as a journalist, she became a columnist for the newly founded New York Magazine in 1968. She cofounded Ms. magazine in 1971, which focused on women's issues. She also helped launch the Women's Action Alliance, which focused on tackling sexism.

Steinem was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.

Steinem died on September 2, according to a post on her social media. No cause was given.

Béla Tarr, 70
Béla Tarr in a black jacket
Béla Tarr.

Sean Gallup/Getty

Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr became a legend in the arthouse world for his unflinching work featuring several-minute-long takes.

With movies like "Family Nest" (1979) and "The Turin Horse" (2011), Tarr showcased his slow cinema style while focusing on marginalized characters living bleak lives. Tarr pushed the envelope with his style when he made "Sátántangó" in 1994, which had a run time of 450 minutes.

His work influenced several arthouse filmmakers, including Jim Jarmusch and Gus Van Sant's "Death Trilogy" ("Gerry," "Elephant," and "Last Days").

Tarr died on January 6 following a battle with a "long and serious illness."

James Tolkan, 94
James Tolkan dressed as a Navy commander in Top Gun
James Tolkan in "Top Gun."

CBS/Getty Images

You might not recognize the name, but if you're a movie fan, you know the face.

Tolkan's tough-guy persona made a mark on movie history in films like "Top Gun" and the "Back to the Future" franchise.

In "Top Gun," he played Commander Tom "Stinger" Jardian, who famously gives Tom Cruise's character a tongue lashing, saying, "Your ego is writing checks your body can't cash."

In "Back to the Future" and its sequels, he played Principal Strickland, who had zero tolerance for "slackers."

Other credits include "Serpico," "WarGames," "Masters of the Universe," and "Dick Tracy."

Tolkan died on March 26; no cause was given.

Ted Turner, 87
Ted Turner in a suit and tie
Ted Turner.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Ted Turner changed the television landscape thanks to his maverick maneuvers to harness the 24-hour news cycle.

After taking over his father's advertising company in the 1960s at the age of 24, Turner embarked on a path to change the media landscape by buying up radio and TV stations around the South. He even bought sports teams including the Atlanta Braves MLB team and the Atlanta Hawks NBA team.

All of that programming would eventually become part of TBS, a "super station" that showed old movies, reruns, and Braves and Hawks games.

Turner then set his sights on the news. He founded CNN, the first 24-hour news channel, in June of 1980.

Over the decades, Turner gained celebrity status, particularly after marrying Jane Fonda, a union that lasted from 1991 to 2001. In 1991, he was named Time's "Man of the Year." He sold his networks to Time Warner for $7.5 billion in 1996.

Turner died on May 6; no cause was given.

Bonnie Tyler, 75
Bonnie Tyler singing into a microphone black and white photo
Bonnie Tyler.

Suzie Gibbons/Redferns/Getty

Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler became one of the biggest artists of the 1980s thanks to her legendary power ballads.

Tyler was behind hits like "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Holding Out for a Hero," which was also featured on the 1984 "Footloose" soundtrack. Both songs were chart-toppers that have since become two of the best-selling singles of all time.

Over her career, Tyler was nominated for three Grammys and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

Tyler died on July 8 in Portugal, where she was being treated for an illness, according to a statement posted on her social media.

James Van Der Beek, 48
James Van Der Beek sitting on a couch
James Van Der Beek.

Keith Torrie/New York Daily News Archive/Getty Images

Van Der Beek was beloved all over the world for his role as the titular teen Dawson Leery on the WB series "Dawson's Creek."

The series, which ran from 1998 to 2002, turned Van Der Beek into a star and a teen heartthrob. While "Dawson's Creek" was still airing, he'd cement his stardom playing the lead role of high school quarterback "Mox" Moxon in the 1999 coming-of-age drama "Varsity Blues."

Van Der Beek found steady work the rest of his career in movies like "Texas Rangers" and "The Rules of Attraction, and memorably played a fictional version of himself on the TV series "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," and performed on "Dancing with the Stars" in 2019.

Van Der Beek learned he had stage 3 colon cancer in 2023, and publicly announced his diagnosis in late 2024.

Van Der Beek previously told Business Insider that the news came as a shock, given the subtleness of his symptoms and his efforts to stay as healthy as possible.

"I was doing everything," he said. "I was doing sauna, cold plunge, weightlifting, Pilates. I would dance and also do football training."

Van Der Beek died on February 11.

Bob Weir, 78
Bob Weir sitting on a bed playing a guitar
Bob Weir.

Mark Sullivan/Getty

Weir was one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead.

The singer-songwriter wrote and/or sang on songs like "Sugar Magnolia," "Playing in the Band," "Truckin,'" "I Need a Miracle," and "The Other One."

After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir went on to form several other bands, including Kingfish, Bobby and the Midnites, RatDog, The Other Ones, and, alongside John Mayer, Dead & Company.

In the summer of 2025, Weir was diagnosed with cancer.

Weir died on January 10.

Victor Willis, 74
Victor Willis in cop costume on stage with The Village People
Victor Willis.

Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Willis was the lead singer of the iconic disco band the Village People.

Along with being the lead vocalist and dressing as the police officer (and sometimes naval officer), Willis was also the cowriter on many of the band's hits, including "In the Navy," "Macho Man," and the song that will keep the Village People in pop culture lore until the end of time, "Y.M.C.A."

Willis left the band to embark on a solo career in 1979, then re-formed the Village People in 2017.

Willis died on June 30 following a "short but aggressive illness," according to the Village People Facebook page.

Frederick Wiseman, 96
Frederick Wiseman in a dar suit sitting on a gray couch with his hand to his cheek
Frederick Wiseman.

Loic Venance/AFP/Getty

For over five decades, Wiseman's brand of non-fiction storytelling put a spotlight on everyday people.

From high schoolers to hospital workers to Air Force cadets training for nuclear war, Wiseman's close to 50-film catalogue is an unvarnished reflection of America over the last half century.

Wiseman died on February 16. No cause was given.

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Muere la modelo Sahara Ray, ex de Justin Bieber, a los 34 años

20 October 2026 at 07:55

El mundo de la moda está de luto. La modelo Sahara Ray ha fallecido a los 34 años, apenas unos meses después de convertirse en madre de su primera hija. La joven australiana acaparó todos los titulares en el pasado por su relación sentimental con Justin Bieber.

Su familia confirmó la muerte de la diseñadora de bikinis al portal "TMZ". "Falleció anoche rodeada de su familia en el hospital. Era muy querida", dijo la familia al medio estadounidense. De momento, se desconocen las causas de su fallecimiento.

Sahara Ray saltó a la fama en 2016 por su carrera de modelo y el lanzamiento de Sahara Ray Swin, su firma de bikinis. La joven se convirtió en una de las mujeres más buscadas de la prensa internacional tras ser fotografiada disfrutando de unas vacaciones en Hawái junto a Justin Bieber. También fue relacionada sentimentalmente en el pasado con el cantante australiano Cody Simpson. Sahara era hija del popular surfista australiano Tony Ray.

Su lucha contra el síndrome de Guillain-Barré

La modelo hizo pública su lucha contra el síndrome de Guillain-Barré, un trastorno neurológico poco común que la dejó parcialmente paralizada tras un grave accidente de coche en 2024. La joven fue atropellada por un conductor ebrio que superaba el límite de velocidad permitido. "Básicamente, eso provocó que mi cuerpo entrara en estado de shock, lo que a su vez me provocó esta terrible enfermedad. Estuve muy, muy enferma durante una semana y media o dos semanas. Durante ese tiempo casi no comí porque no podía retener la comida y mi cuerpo se debilitó mucho", relató.

Este 2026, Sahara Ray dio la bienvenida a su primer hija, llamada Snow, a la que definió como "mi corazón entero". La modelo era muy popular en Australia y su marca de bikinis fue todo un éxito de ventas. La inesperada pérdida de Sahara ha causado una gran conmoción a su familia y allegados más cercanos.

© Gtres

Sahara Ray en una foto de archivo

5 details you might have missed at the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

19 October 2026 at 17:37
Elsa Hosk walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in Los Angeles.
Elsa Hosk walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in Los Angeles.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

  • There was a lot to see at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Sunday night.
  • Kylie Jenner modeled a $50 million bra that featured no fabric.
  • Adriana Lima, on the other hand, walked her 21st show at 45 years old.

Los Angeles lived up to its "city of angels" nickname over the weekend.

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show went to the West Coast this year and was hosted at Sony Pictures Studios on Sunday night. Gigi Hadid, Candice Swanepoel, and other iconic models all hit the runway.

Of course, there were lots of lingerie and athleisure looks on the red carpet, too.

Still, you might not have caught some of the night's best details — like the significance of certain outfits and the celebrities who made surprise appearances.

Here's what you might have missed.

Kylie Jenner modeled the 2026 Fantasy Bra, which is worth $50 million and features zero fabric.
Kylie Jenner walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles.
Kylie Jenner walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

For the first time since 2018, Victoria's Secret sent a Fantasy Bra down the runway at its famed fashion show.

It collaborated with jewelers Jacob and Co. to create the one-of-a-kind piece, which took over 1,000 hours and 15 artisans to make.

On Instagram, Jacob and Co. said the bra features 4,410 diamonds totaling 1,373 carats. One of those is the brand's 75.54-carat natural Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond, which hangs in the middle of the bra.

It's valued at $50 million, which makes it the most expensive Fantasy Bra ever shown on the Victoria's Secret runway.

It was also a massive surprise that Jenner, 29, who never previously walked for Victoria's Secret, had the honor of wearing the special piece. It's usually reserved for veteran models of the show.

Barbara Palvin walked the runway six weeks postpartum.
Barbara Palvin walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in Los Angeles.
Barbara Palvin walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in Los Angeles.

Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images

Palvin walked her fifth Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Sunday — and it was one of her most impressive appearances.

The 33-year-old model delivered her first child, a son, six weeks earlier, as she and her husband Dylan Sprouse announced on Instagram in September.

Backstage at the show, Palvin told People that it was "empowering" to walk the runway, but also "not that big of a deal."

"I'm going to be six weeks postpartum tomorrow, which I think in the US most people have to go back after six weeks," she told the publication.

It's also not the first time Palvin has walked the runway after a major health event. In 2025, her husband revealed that she'd broken her foot four weeks earlier and still walked the runway in heels.

Dylan Sprouse cheered Palvin on from the audience.
Dylan Sprouse at the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles.
Dylan Sprouse at the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

The former "Suite Life of Zack and Cody" actor, who married Palvin in 2023, was seen in videos applauding and cheering for his wife as she walked the runway.

He's made memorable appearances at past Victoria's Secret shows as well, including one time in 2018 when he brought burgers to the model backstage after the show.

Adriana Lima made history by walking in her 21st Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Adriana Lima walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in Los Angeles.
Adriana Lima walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in Los Angeles.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

You couldn't miss Lima as she walked the runway in a lime-green, lace one-piece with a plunging neckline and waist cutouts. She also wore green sandals, jewelry, and a pink floral back piece.

The 45-year-old model first walked for the brand in 1999 and was named an Angel in 2000. She's since walked while pregnant, and in three different Fantasy Bras.

Though she technically retired from the show in 2018, Lima returned when the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show made its comeback in 2024.

Elsa Hosk wore the night's biggest Angel wings.
Elsa Hosk walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in Los Angeles.
Elsa Hosk walks the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in Los Angeles.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Hosk, 37, stepped onto the runway wearing a sheer, beige bodysuit and massive Angel wings made from brown feathers and flowing gold fabric.

On Instagram, the model confirmed they were the biggest wings worn on the 2026 runway.

"Thank you for trusting me and letting this new mama walk with the most gorgeous and biggest wings of the show," she wrote across an Instagram story.

Hosk gave birth to her second child, a daughter, at the end of July.

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4 of the best looks at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala, and 3 that missed the mark

19 October 2026 at 15:41
Taylor Swift attends the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.
Taylor Swift attends the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

  • The Academy Museum Gala was the most star-studded event in Los Angeles over the weekend.
  • Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, and Colman Domingo were all in attendance.
  • Unfortunately, not every celebrity outfit was a winner.

The Oscars red carpet has some competition: the Academy Museum Gala.

Since 2021, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles has hosted the gala to celebrate film and raise funds for future exhibits.

This year, celebrities came out to support, and they mostly did so in style. Taylor Swift, for example, wore one of her best outfits of the year to the event on Saturday.

Unfortunately, there were some fashion duds, too.

These are the best and worst outfits we saw throughout the night.

Taylor Swift looked like a princess in a baby-blue gown with a glittery bow.
Taylor Swift at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.
Taylor Swift at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Dior designed the strapless gown for Swift. It had all-over ruching, a sweetheart neckline, a floor-length skirt with a short train, and a silver bow that extended down its bodice.

Swift wore it with Aquazzura heels and Chopard diamond jewelry.

The pieces made for one of Swift's best outfits of the year, and one of the night's strongest looks. The gown's princess silhouette and light coloring suited Swift perfectly.

Kim Kardashian's vintage dress didn't feel true to her.
Kim Kardashian at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.
Kim Kardashian at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.

Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Kardashian's cream-colored gown was designed by Balenciaga in 1951. It was strapless with a ruched, baby-pink neckline, a corseted bodice, and a lace-lined skirt.

The design also had a pink bow that extended into a train across the back. She wore it with a diamond necklace and matching earrings.

The gown itself is a piece of fashion history, but it didn't suit Kardashian. Its old-school fabrics didn't match her modern style, and her short hair made the overall look appear like a costume.

Colman Domingo was dapper in satin and sparkles.
Colman Domingo at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.
Colman Domingo at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

He wore a custom Valentino suit comprising a black blouse left unbuttoned, flared trousers, a bedazzled blazer, a satin cummerbund, and a matching loose tie.

The sparkling look was glamorous and accessorized well with silver pinky rings and a statement watch. It was also tailored perfectly to the actor.

Connor Storrie's outfit would have looked better with a different jacket.
Person in a long black coat and scarf poses on a black mat before white draped curtains.
Connor Storrie attends the Annual Academy Museum Gala.

Michael Buckner/WWD via Getty Images

His Saint Laurent look was refined, featuring only wide-leg trousers, a satin top with a neck scarf, and a coat.

It was the latter piece that unfortunately distracted from the rest of the outfit. It was too long and looked out of place.

He either should have worn a shorter style or ditched outerwear entirely.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph wore a beautiful dress with long sleeves and a longer train.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Randolph wore Louis Vuitton for the occasion. Her white gown had off-the-shoulder long sleeves, a fitted bodice, and a floor-length skirt that was tailored perfectly to her height.

A back bow and train pulled the glamorous ensemble together and gave it a dramatic flair.

The best part of Randolph's look, though, was how she completed it with an updo hairstyle and diamond jewelry.

Sofia Richie should have taken a bigger fashion risk.
Sofia Richie at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.
Sofia Richie at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Richie, a model and influencer, arrived wearing vintage Versace. The black gown from 2001 was sleeveless and form-fitting, with a high neckline, long skirt, and skinny attached train.

She looked pretty, but her dress was overly simple — especially when paired with a slick-back bun hairstyle and minimal jewelry.

Adding bold makeup or statement accessories could have elevated the look.

Greta Lee stunned in sequins.
Greta Lee at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.
Greta Lee at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

She wore Dior for the gala in the form of a sleeveless, ankle-length gown made entirely from strings of beads.

The latter were arranged in rows of blue and white, with a few leaf shapes peeking through up top.

The dress was perfect in color and material for Lee, and there was nothing else like it on the red carpet.

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Release the Kelly Clarkson Tapes

12 October 2026 at 21:11
Kelly Clarkson holds a microphone as Molly, the animatronic bird from Art of Play, perches on her hand | Lev Radin/Sipa USA/Newscom

Pretty Woman is the best romantic comedy of all time. In it, the actress Julia Roberts plays Vivian, a Los Angeles prostitute who stumbles into a weeklong escort gig for a well-to-do businessman. This requires a new wardrobe, ideally something where her legs are covered less by thigh-high boots and more by, well, actual clothes. Upon entering a shop on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, it is quickly apparent she is not welcome.

She later returns—this time looking less hooker with a heart of gold, more polo match—to deliver one of the more legendary lines in movie history. "Big mistake," she tells the saleswoman who spurned her, flexing her shopping bags full of spoils. "Big. HUGE!"

Life imitates art; art imitates life. Accordingly, we now have a new Vivian, updated for the 21st century: an American Idol winner shopping not for Chanel and Valentino but for a yellow animatronic bird (naturally). This not being 1990, she also has social media.

"Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn't afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me," the singer Kelly Clarkson wrote on X. "Wow, dude. You're an idiot and just lost a huge sale. But y'all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts [sic] character in Pretty Woman."

Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn't afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me. Wow, dude. You're an idiot and just lost a…

— Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) October 10, 2026

As of this writing, that post has been seen about 44 million times. It has inspired a news cycle, a public response from Art of Play, a counter-response from Clarkson, a counter-counter-response from Art of Play, and a lot of negative online reviews from people who have probably never been. It is a stark example of how Vivians of times past have been brought into the present. A comeuppance moment—"Big mistake!"—in response to an unpleasant experience with an allegedly rude employee can now become a national story that puts a small business in the crosshairs or the limelight, depending on whom you ask.

Some additional details, for your edification: The store noted that Clarkson wanted "Molly," that crooning fowl, which "is permanently attached to the wall and isn't for sale." Drat. Clarkson: "So the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst pointing to the price tag hanging on the wall with the title Singing Bird didn't happen as you elevator eyed me saying in a condescending tone 'yes, it's for sale but it costs 15,000 dollars so if you'd like me to find something comparable for you I can.' That all never happened and now it's not for sale."

Now we're really cooking. The store: "We explained that while Molly is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a de facto mascot for our shop, a nearly identical automaton is owned by the creator of the machines, a brilliant artist named Bliss Kolb who lives in Seattle. He told us he would be willing to part with Molly's twin for $15,000." Art of Play also said it "explained all of this to Kelly Clarkson" and "offered to show her a different singing bird automaton…that she could have taken home with her that day" for the low, low price of $2,000. A steal. But, alas, "She did not stick around long enough to see it."

So we have overlapping but ultimately divergent accounts of this era-defining, avian warfare, which was almost certainly captured by a camera on the ceiling. Curious.

Let us acknowledge a few things. For one: How iconic is it that Clarkson prefaced her beef with the fact that she "drove all the way to Brooklyn," likely from Manhattan (where she keeps an apartment), as if she had just crossed the Darién Gap? We're talking approximately 35 minutes from Central Park to Cobble Hill. There is a storied history of extreme melodrama in great American cities when traversing neighborhood boundaries—try convincing an Angeleno to leave West Hollywood for lunch in Koreatown. Clarkson is truly an American idol.

For two: Why are we as a nation litigating a pop star's journey to buy a warbling robot? I now know as much about the origin story of Molly—the bird that broke America—as I do my sister's, who shares the same name. (It's a good name.) I will give Clarkson the benefit of the doubt that this employee may have been less than bubbly. It is Brooklyn, after all, where icy customer service from women with very short bangs and vocal fry is sometimes seen as an asset. But did we really need to mobilize millions of people against a random toy store because of an unfortunate five-minute exchange? Could Clarkson not have left a Google review? (Speaking of those, the fakes have been steadily disappearing, although a new evaluation from "Baba Baka" instructs users not to patronize the store because the owner "called me slurs." I have my doubts.)

What made Vivian's moment on Rodeo Drive so captivating? It was personal. She marches into the store—eyes trained on the elitist clerk with the braided updo, the short bangs of the late '80s and early '90s—and tells it like it is. She does not marshal all of Los Angeles into the store to do it with her.

Clarkson has the right, of course, to say whatever she wants, however she wants. But that does not necessarily make it wise. Her effort legitimately may backfire—despite the avalanche of online hate, Art of Play has gained thousands of social media followers and will likely become a brief destination, even out of morbid fascination. In general, though, unbecoming moments and misunderstandings between individuals do not need to become seismic—and potentially life-ruining—national affairs, as we've seen happen from time to time over the last several years. We can turn back.

Not this time, though. It's too late. The nation has been brought into the discussion, and the nation therefore needs closure. Art of Play is thus cosmically obligated to release security footage of the exchange. Was Clarkson more Vivian Ward or Veruca Salt? ROLL THE TAPES!

The post Release the Kelly Clarkson Tapes appeared first on Reason Magazine.

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